Improving Security and Maintaining Employee Productivity

In an age when technology rules, employees must have work reports, sales figures, invoices and more at their immediate disposal; however, cybersecurity is also a huge concern for organizations, making it necessary to strike a healthy balance between security and availability of information. Discover how your organization can improve security while still maintaining employee productivity by giving workers access to the information they need.

Security in the Manufacturing Sector

According to Industry Week, manufacturing companies are ranked among the top data producers, but this also puts the industry at a greater risk for cyber attacks and security breaches, evidenced by the fact that manufacturing is third on the list of most frequently hacked industries.

The Risk of Exposure

Cyber thieves often focus their sights on the manufacturing industry to get their hands on sensitive information, from account numbers and customer files to intellectual property. When a security breach does occur, organizations must act fast to mitigate the damage, affording a great deal of time, money and effort to fixing the issue. The company's reputation often suffers when the headlines break. This is why it's important to take steps to improve security before issues arise.

Revisit Policies and Regulations

Ensure your organization is complying with all internal company policies as well as industry regulations that apply. This might include the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act and others.

Keep Employees Informed

To improve security, make it part of an ongoing conversation. Make workers aware of the organization's security policies through annual training, not just as part of the new employee on-boarding process.

Tighten Separation Procedures

Ensure there are procedures in place to address employee separation. Make sure system access is revoked and usernames are disabled immediately for all employees who leave the organization.

Ensure IT Visibility

Improve security by giving the IT department the necessary access to track specific information that could expose security threats, such as when users log into certain systems, who is accessing particular files and how data is being shared.

Allow Flexible Access

An organization that is able to improve security can allow employees to be more productive by offering access to files and data through shared networks, email or the cloud. Give employees the option of connecting from the office, home or a mobile device.

Replace Outdated Hardware

When hardware becomes outdated, replace it. Old hardware that is no longer updated or patched can pose a security threat to vulnerable agencies that don't keep up with the changing times.

To improve security in your organization, it's not necessary to keep all the company's sensitive information under lock and key. This presents a challenge for employees who need to work remotely or access information in the field. Consider these tips to keep cybersecurity at the forefront and still maintain employee productivity.

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